


Just Keep Swimming

by SaadieStuff



Series: Mini Malex Handprint Series [2]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alex is a little down, Established Relationship, Feels, Fluff, M/M, discussions re: Alex's leg, supportive!Michael
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 07:29:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19825390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaadieStuff/pseuds/SaadieStuff
Summary: Lovers go for a swim.





	Just Keep Swimming

**Author's Note:**

> **This fic is part 2 of a little series. It references events of part 1, which is short and sweet and I think you'll like it, so go read that first! :)**
> 
> This was actually for the anonymous prompt I received on tumblr: _Malex, "Just hold onto me, I've got you."_ and it just so happened to fit perfectly as a sequel I'd never intended!

“Hey babe,” Michael says, greeting Alex with a quick hello kiss. 

“Sorry I’m late, I got caught up with… work,” Alex says, not as smoothly as he’d like. He had been working, but there had been no reason he couldn’t have made it on time.

“Yeah, I got your text. No worries,” Michael smiles brightly at him, before taking a swing of beer.

“Successful event I see,” Alex notes, looking around the yard and three different swimming pools full of people - a regular pool, a lap pool, and a large hot tub.

“Isobel knows what she’s doing!” Michael exclaims, a little proudly, before quickly finishing off his drink.

“Let’s get you another one of those,” Alex suggests, _and two for me._

“Nah, later. It's hot as balls out here - been waiting for you to get here to hit the pool.” Michael motions towards the lavish house, “There’s a change room set up inside. I left our swim trunks there."

“Sounds great,” Alex says, trying to sound enthusiastic, “But you know, I should really go find Isobel first so she knows that I came." Alex takes a step in the opposite direction to the one Michael wants to go. 

"Oh, don’t worry, she's running around, we'll see her,” Michael waves him off. 

"I'm here so I want the credit,” Alex tries.

Michael laughs, and starts walking towards the mansion, "Who do you think you’re talking to, Alex? I came prepared with a copy of today’s newspaper. We’re going to get a selfie with it. Isobel loves that shit."

Alex, now reluctantly following Michael, raises his eyebrows. “She loves when you take ransom-like staged photos at events she plans?” 

“Uh, yep?” Michael says, as they cross the threshold into the house. “I mean, you probably shouldn’t put it that way…”

Alex finds there are quite a lot of people inside as well, mostly buzzing about the silent auction table, or staking out a spot to be front of the line for the hors d’oeuvres coming out of the kitchen like clockwork. 

Alex continues to lag behind as they head into the hallway, and Michael eventually notices, swinging back towards Alex when he does. 

"You comin'?"

"Um, you know what, you go ahead. I think I prefer it inside,” Alex says, nodding back towards the kitchen, “Chilling with the A/C."

"You sure?" Michael asks, squinting at him, because with all the doors wide open, the inside isn't all that cool, and they're both in jeans and t-shirts.

"Yep,” Alex nods, “Plus, first dibs on the food. I’m-- I’m partial to those little shrimps...”

By now, Michael is standing right next to Alex. “Well, far be it from me to keep you from the little shrimps. But I know you were planning to swim - _shirtless_ ," Michael says flirtatiously, putting his lips close to Alex's ear, "That's why I had to put my handprint on your--"

"I remember!" Alex cuts in with a loud whisper. “But I changed my mind.”

"So no swimming then?" Michael asks, tone serious, eyes flicking over Alex with some concern.

"No,” Alex confirms.

"Okay, A/C it is!" Michael says with an overly cheery grin, and slips his hand into Alex's, guiding them back towards the main area. 

Alex pulls back, "Wait, no, _you_ can swim."

"I can also chill in the A/C. With you," Michael says, giving Alex’s hand a squeeze.

Alex shakes his head, "You're going to be too hot."

Michael shrugs, "You like me sweaty."

~~~~~

"Michael…” Alex half whines, pulling him off to the side, which is easy now as most of the people have left the party. “You've been weird, and stalling our exit, for the last hour. Why? If you want to swim, I told you, you can."

Michael licks his lips nervously. "It’s not _me_ who wants to swim."

“What?”

“You really want to swim,” Michael states, as if fact.

Alex opens his mouth to protest.

"Don't deny it, I know you do,” Michael says softly, careful not to make it sound like an accusation. “I don’t mean to, but apparently I'm not very good at controlling this handprint thing... The last few days it’s been a bit of struggle not to feel you _all_ the time. I try, because you deserve your privacy, but it keeps happening. I’m sorry.”

"It's okay,” Alex assures him, “I knew what I was agreeing to with the handprint - at least as best as Liz could describe it to me. And I can feel you, too."

Michael nods. “But just because we can feel each other… doesn’t mean we can stop communicating.”

Alex just stares at him, but there's a gulp of acknowledgement. 

"You were planning to swim when we talked about it a few days ago. What changed? Is it about your leg?” Michael asks gently. “Because you don't give a fuck what anyone thinks about that, or anything else for that matter."

"I don't... but... I do, sometimes,” Alex admits.

"But you say ‘fuck it’ and do it anyways," Michael says proudly. 

Alex smiles at that. "Usually, yeah,” his grin fades, and he bites at his lip, “But some days I just don’t have the whole fight in me. Or I'm in a mood where I resent that I have to fight at all, so I pretend I don't want the things that I want. Today was one of those days."

Michael’s hands go to Alex’s waist, and he tugs him close. They’re nose to nose when Michael speaks. "You know that you don't have to fight by yourself anymore, right? I mean, I can’t be in there in your head, but... you can call for backup."

“I know,” Alex says, his breath catching.

They sway together a few moments, then lean back, giving each other enough space to look at each other properly. 

"Have you swam since you lost your leg?" Michael asks.

"Yes. I did some water therapy. It was great. Freedom to move around, not as well as I could swim with two feet, but still - without a crutch or a prosthetic. It's easy on the joints too."

"That's why you want to swim."

Alex shrugs, "And it’s fun. I used to do it a lot.”

“So... do you wanna try? Everyone will be gone soon, other than the catering clean-up crew inside, and Isobel.”

“Maybe…? It’s certainly doable with a little help. Just a few logistics.”

~~~~~

With the pool area to themselves, it’s easy for Alex to move a lawn chair close to the edge near the ladder, remove his prosthetic where it’s dry, and scoot off the seat of the chair - Michael holding it at the back so it doesn’t tip - onto the pool’s edge. Then Michael joins him, and they slip into the water together.

Alex smiles the second the weightless feeling takes him, bobbing in the water, holding the ledge, eyes closed, effortless.

Michael gives Alex a moment, swimming around on the other side. Michael is not a great swimmer, he never had lessons, but he does alright. After a few laps, he comes up behind Alex, who hasn't moved. 

Michael puts his arms around him, chest flush to his back, and rests his chin on Alex's shoulder. 

"Are you okay?" Michael whispers, kissing Alex’s ear.

"Yes," Alex says as he spins in Michael's arms.

Alex puts his arms around Michael's neck and kisses him. 

As it intensifies, Alex brings his legs up around Michael's waist. At first, Michael's got two hands on Alex's back, but soon has to move one to grab the ladder as they start to sink with only Michael's feet paddling. 

Michael halts the kiss gently. "One of us has to think about floating,” he murmurs. 

Alex laughs. 

"Go on, swim. We can do _this_ later,” Michael teases. 

Alex gives him one last kiss for good measure, then pushes off and starts to swim.

They swim around, together, apart, serene, splashing - they try it all. Then Isobel takes it upon herself to pump some _mood_ music out into the yard, and Michael and Alex gravitate towards each other in the centre of the pool. 

Alex raises an eyebrow. 

“Great wing-woman,” Michael chuckles.

“Trust me, you didn’t need the assist,” Alex says, with a wink, and pulls Michael into an embrace.

~~~~~

They slow dance in the shallow end until the sun sets and their skin is well pruned.

"Guess we should get out of here..." Michael suggests.

"Mhmm," Alex smiles and kisses him once, then rests his forehead against Michael's. "Thank you for this."

Alex starts to move away, pulling Michael with him, towards the edge. But Michael tugs back, in one quick motion sweeping Alex off his foot and into his arms, hooking one arm under Alex's knees, and the other around his back.

Alex laughs sharply in surprise, settling his arms around Michael's neck.

"Is this okay?" Michael asks as little shyly. 

"Yes," Alex whispers, and leans in to kiss him.

Michael walks them slowly through the water, over to the steps. When they ascend the third stair, most of Alex's weight is no longer held by the water. Michael's muscles tense, proving ample support, but for a split second, Alex feels like he's slipping, sending him scrambling for a tighter grip around Michael's neck. 

"Easy," Michael says tenderly, freezing as Alex finds his bearings, " **Just hold on to me, I've got you**."

"I know," Alex says, relaxing, and nuzzling his nose against Michael's neck, "In more ways than one."


End file.
